5 cheap backpacking tips

Posted on Tue May 27, 2014.

We aren’t all blessed with rich parents or a winning lottery ticket. And most of us take to travelling on a tight budget. With every step we take, we’re looking to save money. To help you do that we’ve put together 5 cheap backpacking tips!

We aren’t all blessed with rich parents or a winning lottery ticket. And most of us take to travelling on a tight budget. With every step we take, we’re looking to save money.

To help you do that we’ve put together 5 cheap backpacking tips!

Leave the valuables at home – Sure you’re tempted to take your Macbook pro to blog about all your exciting experiences, but what happens if it’s swiped?

That’s some pretty serious money down the drain. And even if it isn’t stolen, the chances of the screen taking weight and cracking are pretty high too.

The last thing you want is to have to shell out on repairing it. Leave anything valuable at home. It’s always the wiser choice.

Book accommodation with a kitchen – If you’re travelling on a budget then you’re looking at hostels. Before you put your credit card details in and book a stay, make sure they have a kitchen.

Why? Well if you make some evening meals at the hostel it’s going to save you a lot of money. One of the biggest travelling expenses is eating out every night.

Cooking is a great way to get to know the people you’re staying with too!

Look at train passes – If you know you’ll be staying in a certain area or country for a long period of time then check out train passes. It might be that it works out cheaper to buy yourself a pass for a few months than to buy a cross-country train ticket every time you’re on the move!

Take snacks – Whilst you’re out exploring a new city or land you’re going to become hungry. All that walking and figuring out detailed maps can soon leave you with an appetite. Plan ahead and take snacks with you. This should help you avoid in-between meal snacks and money!

Walk – Sometimes in a big new city it’s tempting to just jump into a cab to get to your destination. But a) that means you’re missing out on learning the city and seeing the sites and b) it means you’re spending money.

Guest Reviews

I felt nice at this hotel. People there were friendly and I cannot complain about anything. I was treated there very nicely and I had quite nice room for R250/night. Stuff there helped me with anything I needed and the owner invited me to spend a movie evening at her place with other friends of her. Very sweet lady!

- Michaela N

Prague, Czech Republic

I stayed at the 2b happy guest house for 3 days in May 2014 and had a great experience. The staff were helpful, the room was well equipped and very clean. Free pick-up service from the train terminal was a bonus. I will stay there again.

- Chris O

Paarl, South Africa

We were fortunate to be at Happy 2b in May for a family vacation. Initially, we had to stay one week, but eventually we extended our stay for one more week because we were very well at this hostel. We had a remarkable welcome and the staff are really friendly and helpful. They do everything to meet our needs. We chose this place because it was possible for them... Read More

- Katia G

Quebec City, Canada

I was able to stay there at very short notice due to being able to pay and book for it online. There were not many guest while I was there, but the staffs presence was reassuring. I also had the cat to keep me company. The rules are straightforward and I didn't experience any trouble with the staff with regards to them. I recently met the owner who is... Read More